The conventional compact discs each being an optical disc include a CD-DA disc (Compact Disc-Digital Audio) having music data pre-recorded therein, CD-ROM disc (Compact Disc-Read-Only Memory) having pre-recorded therein text data, program data concerning computer software or the like, CD-R disc (Compact Disc-Recordable) to which data can additionally be recorded, CD-RW disc (Compact Disc-Rewritable) in which data can be rewritten, and a CD-Extra disc (Compact Disc-Extra) having at least two types of data recorded in different recording areas thereof, respectively.
The disc drives for these types of compact discs include a first type being an audio device and dedicated for playback of the CD-DA disc, a second type installed in a personal computer (will be referred to simply as “PC” hereunder) and compatible with all the compact discs of the above-mentioned types, and a third type installed in a PC and capable of playing back all the compact discs of the above types and also of recording data to the CD-R or CD-RW disc. The disc drive of the third type can digitally copy data recorded in the CD-DA, CD-ROM or CD-Extra disc to the CD-R or CD-RW disc, that is, it can record data read from any of the CD-DA, CD-ROM or CD-Extra discs as it is in the digital form to the CD-R or CD-RW disc.
Note here that for digital copying of audio data recorded in the CD-DA disc to a magneto-optical disc, for example, the copyright for the data recorded in the CD-DA disc is managed by the illegal copy preventive system such as SCMS (Serial Copy Management System) or the like which allows only one copy of the data read from the CD-DA disc to the magneto-optical disc.
However, the disc drive of the above third type normally installed in a PC does not adopt the aforementioned illegal copy preventing system such as SCMS or the like. Namely, the disc drive of this type can make digital copy of data with no restrictions being put on the number of times such digital copy can be done. Therefore, the third-type disc drive can make further digital copy of audio data, having been read from the CD-DA disc and digitally copied to a CD-R or CD-RW disc, to another CD-R or CD-RW disc. The user can use the first-, second- or third-type disc drive to play back the CD-R or CD-RW disc having the audio data digitally copied thereto. Thus, the copyrighter such as a recording company, artist or the like will have their copyright breached by such illegal digital copying.